DE 100 08 020 A1 describes a diagnosis device in a process control system which uses multi-variable control techniques, with a diagnosis tool automatically recording and storing data which specifies a control parameter, a mode parameter, a status parameter and a limit value parameter which belong to each of the different devices, groups or functional blocks within a process control system in order to determine which devices, groups or functional blocks have problems which lead to a reduced performance of the process control system, displaying a list of the recorded problems to an operator and subsequently suggesting the use of further more specific diagnosis tools to further pinpoint the problems or to correct them.